Published in The Times on 14 Jan 2010

100114tt - Eye for an eye or Pardon for a Pardon

Description & Background

Eugene de Kock nicknamed 'Prime-evil 'is a former police hit squad leader responsible for liquidating dozens of black anti-apartheid activists. He is presently serving 212 year jail sentance.. According to the South African Sunday Independent, Eugene de Kock had a three-hour secret meeting with Zuma in the high-security prison in Pretoria where he is being held. The newspaper reported that de Kock had offered to provide Zuma with inside information about others involved with government death squads, whom he complained had so far got off 'scot-free'.

Schabir Shaik is a South African businessman from the Berea, Durban, who rose to prominence due to his close association with South African President Jacob Zuma during his time as Deputy President. On 2 June 2005, he was found guilty of corruption and fraud, which also led to the dismissal of Zuma two weeks later from his position as Deputy President. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment on each of the two counts of corruption, as well as 3 years on the count of fraud. The sentences to run concurrently, giving him an effective 15 year prison term. On 3 March 2009 Shaik was released on medical parole, after serving two years and four months of his 15-year prison term.